The South Absecon Plan establishes a cohesive neighborhood framework that integrates housing, public amenities, and ecological systems. The plan highlights opportunities to improve waterfront access, resolve land use challenges, and strengthen community identity around the historic Absecon Lighthouse.ProjectSouth Absecon Plan
LocationAbsecon, NJ
ClientPrivate
CollaboratorsEDAW
ServicesClimate-Adaptive Design, Waterfronts, Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning
Like the other barrier islands along New Jersey’s southern coast, Absecon Island’s historic ecologies of tidal marshes, dunes, and estuarine waters once formed a dynamic coastal landscape that buffered storms and supported diverse habitat. Over time, fragmented land uses and piecemeal development tied to Atlantic City’s boom-and-bust cycles weakened these systems and restricted public access to the waterfront, even as the Absecon Lighthouse remained the district’s most visible landmark.
South Absecon Proposed Development
The South Absecon Plan framework organizes land use, density, and open space around a tool kit of water retention and filtration interventions. Green roofs, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands are used to manage inland flooding by holding, treating, and conveying water back toward the inlet and coastal waters.
Green Infrastructure Framework
A new civic square surrounding the lighthouse was envisioned as the neighborhood’s central gathering space, linking residents and visitors to transit, local businesses, and nearby hotels and entertainment venues along the Atlantic City waterfront, positioning the district for long-term, climate-adaptive growth.
South Abescon Master Plan
ThumbnailWebsite DrawingsGreen Infrastructure Framework071128 Building SystemSouth Abescon: Building SystemSouth Abescon: Stormwater ManagementSouth Abescon: Surface hydrology NorthSouth Abescon: Surface hydrology South
Inital Sketches- Improving Waterfront AccessSouth Abescon Master PlanSouth Absecon Proposed DevelopmentWaterfront Improvement & Resilience VisionVision for Lighthouse Square Related ProjectsSunset Park Vision PlanManhattan, NY East River BluewaySuffolk County, Long Island, NY Suffolk County Blueway Trail Plan